Alumni from all three cohorts of the Shalom Hartman Institute
Rabbinic Leadership Initiative (RLI) recently came together for three days of intensive learning at the second annual RLI Alumni Retreat at the Hilton hotel in Rye Brook, NY.
A diverse mix of exceptional faculty led the group in study and discussion around the topic of Kedusha: Ancient and Modern Conceptions of Holiness in Judaism.
Faculty members included
Dr. Moshe Halbertal , Gruss Professor at NYU Law School and Professor of Jewish Thought and Philosophy at the Hebrew University,
Dr. Yehuda Kurtzer , President of the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America,
Rabbi Dov Linzer , Rosh HaYeshiva and Dean, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah,
Dr. Benjamin Sommer , Professor of Bible at the Jewish Theological Seminary, and
Dr. Wendy Zierler , Associate Professor of Feminist Studies and Modern Literature at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.
In addition to studying together, an essential part of the program was a daily roundtable where participants had the opportunity to reconnect and reflect with fellow rabbis. One participant said, “The roundtable was the highlight of the program for many. The conversations were powerful and they continue to be a warm, open, and meaningful encounter.”
The RLI Alumni Retreat enables the Hartman Institute to continue meeting the needs of rabbis that have come through its doors. “A central part of the mission of the Shalom Hartman Institute is to provide support and enrichment for rabbis who play a crucial role in shaping the Jewish identity of countless North American Jews,” Dr. Kurtzer said. “The RLI Alumni Retreat deepens our relationship with rabbis who have already gone through our leadership program and offers them new empowerment tools to assist them in their leadership role in Jewish communities across North America.”
When asked to reflect on his experience at the retreat, Rabbi David Frank of Temple Solel, San Diego, said: “Every shiur (class) was outstanding and the Hartman level of excellence pervaded content and presentation….As always, I deeply appreciate Hartman’s commitment to rabbis and truly feel they are impacting the culture of the rabbinate in North America.”
